The New Age
by Icestar of moonclan
Summary: Eqestria faces a war that the ponies inevitably lose, forcing the to take refuge in an unfamiliar world, after the demise of Celestia. Twilight must take responsibility as sole princess of Equestria, and a new alicorn has found her way into the new world. Can Twilight Sparkle and her friends work through this difficultly?
1. New Age 1, of death and life

New Age, Chapter 1

Peace in Equestria has reigned for many moons. But that is soon to change... The zebra kingdom has risen up against Equestria, claiming that ponies run the world, and that needs to change. And so, they say, the sun must set on ponies, and rise on zebras. The elements of harmony were called upon, but there was no hate, black magic, or anything else for them to remove. Only determination, which is part of harmony, thus harmony can not remove it.

As the war raged, Equestria slowly dwindled, until now when it is only the princesses and Twilight left in Equestria. Every other pony has been transported to a new world, a world with out any intelligent species. They are cornered by multitudes of zebras, backed against an abandoned store.

The princesses were just out of sight, as Twilight Sparkle blasted the endless sea of zebras with her magic. Dropping balls of explosive magic, magic laser, all the spells you can think of. Twilight saw the spells of the Alicorn sisters, in sunlight yellow and night sky blue.

Suddenly, a great pulse of pure, yellow magic exploded, followed by a scream. Zebras toppled, left and right, thousands destroyed by a single spell. Why hadn't Celestia done it sooner? While the ponies where still here? Twilight flew over to the princesses full speed, (She had finally mastered flight), only to see Luna was bent over her sister, tears falling to the ground. Celestia was dead... Wait, no, Twilight could still feel the magic that was always around the sun princess, but only faintly. As she crept closer Celestia, the natural alicorn opened her eyes, and said, in barely a whisper, "Twilight..." the purple princess walked closer, eyes brimming with tears. "We... We have a gift..." Luna leaned closer to her sister. "Hush Tia, I will tell her," turning to Twilight Sparkle, the night princess continued, "We have kept half of a spell with each of us, to cast and give you when you leave, or when the time runs short for one of us. It will guide you through the time that you must rule the ponies. Celestia has overtaxed her magic, and was hoping to survive, but it seems she will not, but it is the only way to deliver this before you, and inevitably we, where overwhelmed. Raise her well, for in her is our spirits, as well as the very spirits of magic. Should she be a foe, or if she turns out to be selfish, the elements of harmony can do nothing against her, as she embodies them as well." with that small speech, Luna lowered her head to support Celestia, and together they cast a spell, their horns lighting and their magic mixing to create a green globe that glowed. It spun, before exploding in a blinding flash of light, leaving a small white alicorn filly with a black, star speckled flowing mane, and strangely, a cutie mark, a circle, with line through the middle and two larger circles radiating out from that line, on either side. One side the half circle was yellow, the large circle blue with a small cloud. The opposite side had a silver half circle, and a dark blue large circle with small white dots. Celestia's magic blinked out, and the sun princess's breathing stopped. Luna stood, her wings folded, head down, she sighed. "Me and Tia are a pair. With Tia dead, I can not function. I will prepare you to be the only ruler of the new Equestria, with Cadance long dead. If, by any small chance, I survive, I will stay here and fight to avenge Tia, and win back our home." Luna's horn lit up, and she poured masses of magic into Twilight, as the purple princess began to grow, taking in Celestia's size, and she felt her magic growing, until she finally processed it all. She, and the mysterious filly, where going to be the only alicorns in the new Equestria. Upon the spell being completed, she realized that in appearance and power, she was Celestia, with different colors. Luna carefully lifted Celestia's crown, necklace, and shoes, placed them on Twilight Sparkle, princess of the sun, the moon, and harmony. "The filly is named Stella Solara. She will take your place when you are dead, or retired. Train her well. You now have the power to raise the moon and sun. I ask you to practice by lowering the zebra's sun, and let them find a way to raise it again." Luna said the last bit with anger. Twilight did so, focusing on the sun, high in the sky, with all of her magic, and strained to lower the sun. It shot down, faster then the eye could follow. Somewhere in the pitch black, Luna's voice sounded. "No need to strain. You have as much power as Celestia now. Gently lower it, like you would a teacup. And teacups... Treat them like the most delicate feather on earth." Luna lowered her head, and cast a teleport spell. The same one she and Celestia had cast to send the ponies to new Equestria. "Remember your responsibility..." was the last time Twilight ever heard Luna's voice.


	2. New Age 2, of childhood and Rarity

New Age, Chapter 2

1 year later

Twilight sat on her throne, gold, set with a purple gems. Stella sat next to her. the young filly, was now around two, according to Twilight's guess, and could talk fairly well. Stella's magic and flying ability was through the roof for her age, and someone five times her age would struggle to restrain her. True to Luna's word, the white alicorn filly also seemed to have a magical link to the elements of harmony. The first time she saw them, all the element bearers where teleported, very confused (and in Rainbow's case, fast asleep), to the the elements. Ponies where quickly spreading throughout the new equestria, but there where many places that had been left unexplored. Twilight Sparkle had been settling well into her new duties, and was thankful for one thing, the alicorn sisters had managed to teleport all of Canterlot to the new world, now named Celunia, a mixture of the names of the two ponies who made survival possible. If growth continued at this pace, in two years time, Celunia would be as much home as Equestria ever was. No one had seen hoof nor mane of Luna since that last day in Equestria. She was assumed dead, and may she rest in peace. Stella looked up at Twilight. "Practice 'evidation?" she asked Twilight, jerking her to the present. "Levitation, Stella, Levitation. And that is a great idea. But we should try something harder then strait up, strait down. And since it is lunch time anyway, you should try eating with your magic." Twilight said kindly. Not only was the filly incredibly powerful, she had amazing coordination and picked things up very fast for her age, not to mention self control. "Yay!" was the little filly's only response, as she fluttered her wings, flying a couple of feet, dropping down, and up again. Twilight encouraged this, as not only did it keep Stella entertained, she could fly a little farther every day. Twilight, despite being the sole ruler of Celunia, hadn't changed much. She was more serious, but she was serious to begin with. When they got to the kitchens, They were served food. Twilight carefully levitated a cup of coffee, took a sip, and levitated her fork, cut a bit of pancake, and daintily took a bit.

Stella attempted to get her orange juice to her lips, but ended up accidentally dumping half of it over her head, successfully got a bit of pancake, but cracked the plate. She managed to get it in her mouth on the third try, after missing her face, and then stabibg herself in the nose. Twilight removed all knives from the table. The rest of the meal continued roughly in this fashion.

At bedtime, Twilight tucked the filly into bed, and ask the same question she asked every night.

Stella, as usual, replied enthusiastically. "Yes, please!" Twilight smiled. "Which do you want to hear?" The young princess paused, to think. "How about the story of how you friends became princesses? How about Rarity's story first?" "Of course." and Twilight launched into a tale.

Rarity read the letter that her purple alicorn friend had brought to her, from Princess Celestia.

Dear Rarity,

It is my pleasure to request your presence at the C.W.H.P (Charity for Widowed or Homeless Ponies) to put your admirable skills in fashion to work clothing those out of bits, home, and family, due to this war between our nation and that of the zebras. If you accept my invitation, all of the ponies donating and running the Charity will be very grateful for the help.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

P.S. as they say, laughter and singing will see us through.

The fashion obsessed mare thought about the offer. On the upside, she would help a lot of ponies scrape by with her sewing, but what of mane stylists and proper hoof care was hard to cone by in such a place? Rarity brushed the thought aside, what did one pony's mane and hooves matter compared to other pony's well being, after all? "I will go." she told Twilight, who was at the door.

"Twilight?" said Stella, following a mother daughter tradition.

"Yes, dear?" the alicorn responded, with a faint smile.

"Why did she care less about her mane then about those ponies?"

"Because she is the Element of Generosity, dear."

On the train to the CWHP, Rarity was nearly frantic. "What if I forgot my mane curlers? Where is that necklace!? Have you seen my sapphire tail clip?!" where the kind of questions the pony sitting with her was rained with. When they finally pulled into the station, she stepped out, into the greyest, filthiest town she had ever seen, filled with ragged, dirty homeless ponies, and depressed looking, shabby mares. A young, dirty pegasus filly, dark grey, with a grey blue mane, darted up to the fashion loving unicorn. "please ma'am, my mommy and daddy were soldiers, dead in the war. Could you spare a bit or two, please?" said the filly, crouching at Rarity's hooves. "Oh, darling..." said the mare, "Come with me, we simply must get you bathed and fed." she said.

When they arrived at the rooms in the CWHP building that Rarity was staying in, she rushed the filly into the bathroom and handed her a towel. "Now take a long, hot shower, uh, what is your name dear?" "Sky Bolt." said the young pegasus shyly. "Well, go get bathed, Sky Bolt, and I should have dinner done when you are out." And so, with Rarity chopping away at carrots and daisies to make a favorite soup of hers, and Sky Bolt cleaning away six months of dirt, the place was warm and welcoming. When Sky Bolt got out of her shower, Rarity was amazed. What she had first taken as a grey coat was really a soft, pure white, and grey blue mane had transformed into a light cerulean cloud, because the filly's mane was so fine, it floated up on even the tiniest breeze, the same true of her tail. The two ate together, talking about past, present and future alike. When the pegasus filly got up to leave, Rarity said, "Would you like to live here? I can keep you feed and warm, at the very least. Your expenses would be paid by Celestia herself if I asked her, and you are to good to be living on the streets." Sky Bolt stopped, and sat back down at the table. "Really?" she asked. And Rarity, through caring for that filly, strengthened her generosity, and earned her rank as princess of generosity, turning her into the pony she is today.

Twilight finished her story, and brushed her muzzle against Stella's head. "Goodnight." She said, and left the room.


	3. New Age 3, of forests and Rainbow Dash

New Age, Chapter 3

15 years later

Princess Stella Solara used her magic to open the door of the throne room. A light cerulean alicorn mare stood in the doorway, dressed in her armor. her captain's helm was on her head, but her rainbow tail hung free. "Princess Rainbow Dash, Commander of the Eqestrian Army and Royal Guard requests an audience with High Princess Twilight Sparkle and her respectable daughter, Princess Stella Solara." The purple alicorn on the throne laughed. "My dear Rainbow, you need not be so formal. Neither of us have changed that much since ponyville." Dash frowned. "You are wrong princess. I have changed. Just remember my history, and the circumstances of my coronation."

Rainbow, not long before the move to Celunia, went to war as an ordinary soldier. It wasn't much time before she was in the army hospital, being cared for by Celestia herself. But even magic can't do anything for a wing cut off by a unicorn who got past her guard. They save her life, but not her flight. But for that young mare, what was the difference, really? Rainbow Dash fell into deep depression. The only thing that saved her sanity was a earth pony stallion, who she loved. Flame Vine was a stallion who everyone respected, and liked. And he pulled a pony critical to the protection of Equestria into sanity, and kept her there, fathering an earth pony filly by that same mare. The minty green filly with a deep green mane was named Wild Vine, and symbolized well being and happiness to her mother, who made sure the filly was well cared for, and loved her with all her heart. Flame Vine died in the war, causing Rainbow to withdraw even from her daughter, becoming a shell of her former self, from a boastful speedster to a depressed cripple. Not until she began to naturally go back to her duties, ignoring her problems, and wing, and return to her friends, after the move Celunia, did she prove her loyalty, and achieve her princess status. When she was made an alicorn, it repaired her wing, but she was left with emotional scars from the experience. She grew into the general she was, with her depression harnessed and hardened into anger, she raged into battle, whoever her foe may be.

Twilight's eyes reflected a sadness, something rarely seen on the friendly purple princess, who looked away, on the verge of tears. "Perhaps, Rainbow. But we stood by you through all that, are we not your friends?" Rainbow stared straight ahead, ignoring the purple princess. "I am afraid to report that there are strange magical happenings in the Night Fire forest, such as can only be created by a very powerful alicorn using dark magic. The evidence we see suggests this being could wipe out the Eqestrian Army single handedly. The only ponies who can stand up to this being is undoubtedly Your Highness, or your daughter, Princess Stella Solara." Said Rainbow, reverting to her stiff, formal report. A green earth pony mare stepped up behind her, with a twisted vine cutie mark, and a full suit of armor. "What my mother says is true. We request your aid at our Night Station, on the eastern border of Night Fire forest. The western fortress, Fire Station, has yet to see magical happenings, due to the immense size of said forest. Princess Rarity is there helping, with her adopted daughter, but due to her limited magical abilities, she can only do so much." Twilight said quietly, while staring at her hooves. "Stella, go with Soldier Vine to the Night Station. Commander Dash and I need to talk." The young ponies left the room, and Stella called a chariot. When the white pegasus stallions showed up, chariot in tow, the two ponies stepped in. Wild Vine rode in respectful silence, head down.


	4. New Age 4, of friends and Applejack

When they finally arrived at the Night Station, Rarity greeted them, a pure white pegasus mare with a light cerulean mane, and two clouds, with a lightning bolt the shade of the mare's mane shooting between them for a cutie mark. Rarity and Sky Bolt looked so alike, it was almost impressive they weren't related by blood. "We can get you a good room, Stella, dear, come along." She moved away, and Sky Bolt fell back to talk and laugh with Wild Vine. Stella stayed ahead with Rarity, and soon Applejack showed up, wing feathers rustling in the wind, Stella remembered her story.

Applejack was always honest. And honestly thought that what happened was her fault, even though it wasn't. Apple Bloom, the first victim of the zebra war. It had started out a simple fight, Apple Bloom had just left one of her older sister's books out in the rain. When Applejack began getting angry, Apple Bloom had run out the door, and five hours later, when the sun was setting, AJ had gone out to search and apologize. When she found her sister, deep in the Everfree, she was dead, killed by some pony with a sword, and it was then that they Jumped Applejack, the zebra's left a deep gash down one of her flanks. The only reason she lived was Zecora found her, healed her, and explained the treachery of her fellow zebras with shame, and assurances that she had lived most her life around ponies and would side with them in the upcoming battle. The whole incident left her with a large, cordlike scar on her flank, and hate for zebras, excepting Zecora. She went home, loaded down with her sister's body, and a confession to her family, who hadn't known about the fight. Sux months later, Applejack had adopted a young orphaned unicorn named Amethyst Shine, a purple filly so dark she was almost black, and a light purple mane so light it was almost white. Applejack received her princess wings and horn for the courage and honesty shown when she admitted she had a hand in the death of Apple Bloom.

The scar on Applejack's flank remained, and showed clearly. A deep purple unicorn stood next to her, with a faceted amethyst for a cutie mark. Amethyst Shine fell back with the other two ponies, to join in the conversation. The three were obviously good friends. Made sense, they did have a lot in common. When Rarity and Applejack showed her a map of the Night Fire forest, and where the magical happenings had happened, she noticed they seemed to be most dense far into the forest. "I can go in, but i need help, and skilled pony of every species. Some pony I can trust." Applejack nodded. "Girls, can y'all go into the Night Fire with Princess Stella here? And Amethyst, can you enchant a few jewels as magical, and physical shields?" Amethyst Shine smiled. "Of course, it is my talent after all." She said. Applejack spoke again. "And you other two, stretch. You will need all your muscles." "Yes, Applejack." The two other ponies chorused, and everyone trotted off to deal with their own tasks. Before the hour has gone, and it was barely 1:00 in the after noon, Princess Stella Solara stood in front of the intimidating forest, with her backup, Soldier Shine, Soldier Bolt, and Soldier Vine at her back, as well as a magical shielding necklace that Amethyst Shine had made, around her neck. "Be safe." Said Rarity, and Applejack nodded in agreement. Stella took her first step into the dark forest, and a sense fear washed over her. Enchanting, pure, heart stopping terror. She stepped forward again, and gulped, barely prepared for the task ahead.


	5. New Age 5, of fear and princesses

New Age, Chapter 5

Stella forced her hoof to move forward. "We don't have any charms to ward it off, but is definitely a magic induced fear." Said Soldier Bolt from beside Princess Stella, in a shaky voice. "Why?!" Replied Stella, louder than she intended, as she attempted to force down the sheer terror. Soldier Vine was looking on the verge of racing back, a half hour of travel, to the safety of camp. If Stella let fear take over, she would fail to lead this group. She was the Princess, the Commander, the Leader. Remove her, the house of cards, the courage of these ponies would have no foundation, and tumble. "Soldier Vine, control yourself." She said, hoping she sounded much calmer than she was. Shine took a deep breath, and responded before Soldier Bolt could. "Actually, we do. If it weren't for the charms I gave out, our hearts would have stopped from sheer terror the second we stepped into the trees." The nervousness she would have normally felt over her life hanging, literally, on a thin silver chain, was boosted into sheer terror by the forest's enchantment. "So, we die if the charms come off, break, or become overwhelmed by the forest?" Stella said, her deep blue mane quivering, along with her pure white coat. Soldier Shine nodded. "Yes, your highness." She said grimly. The alicorn laughed grimly. "If my life is hanging on your skill, you can drop the formality. All of you." Sky Bolt nodded, her light cerulean half way curled mane bobbing along with her pure white coated face. "Yes, your hi– uh, Stella." The unicorn and earth pony laughed, though not unkindly, at their friend, who turned bright red. The young princess smiled. "No need to be embarrassed, Sky Bolt." She said kindly. The terror began to subside as the three ponies went from awkward, respectful, cold silence, and to the warm silence of friends with nothing.

Stella was amazed how fast they accepted her. But then again, she had plenty in common. They all had mothers who carried one of the elements of harmony. And what could bind four ponies better then mothers who are held together by a thick cord of hardship and love? Stella jumped as a loud crack of a branch breaking sounded beside her. Blue magic flared, but it didn't come from any of the ponies she could see. "Get down." She hissed at her companions, putting up a force field in a dome around herself and her three companions. A ragged and bloody blue alicorn limped out of the undergrowth. Seeing the well protected group of ponies, she dropped the knife she was carrying in her blue magic. "Who are you?" Stella said, even though she had a guess. The new alicorn's cutie mark... Twilight had described the same white moon on the patchy black background. The blue alicorn looked hurt. "Don't you know?" She said. "Have I really been forgotten?" "You aren't who I think you are. Luna died! She must have! All I have heard are my mother's stories, but she can't have survived." Stella Lucara said, with very little certainty. "Stella, you know who I am. I need to see Twilight and the other bearers of the elements, now. Where is the castle?" "Go back where you came from! You can't be real!" Stella shouted at Princess Luna, who nodded. "If that is what you think, you can take me in chains." Stella nodded, and used a nearby vine to bind the alicorn's hooves together. "If you hurt anypony, I will find you, and hurt you." She said calmly, but the glint in her eyes gave away how full this threat was. After several seconds of eye contact with supposedly fake Luna, she cast a yellow and silver, the color of her magic, teleportation spell to send the new alicorn to the center of the throne room.

Twilight jumped as a flash of yellow and silver light filled the throne room. "Stella?" She said, half to herself, before the magical light subsided, leaving... "Princess Luna?" Twilight Sparkle gasped, eyes wide. The blue alicorn lay, all four legs bound together, on the floor. A gash on her right foreleg seeped blood, and scars wound over her flanks and the back of her neck. Weak, injured, but alive. Suddenly, a voice projected over the throne room. "Mother, any joy you may feel at this pony's arrival had best be over ridden by caution. You know how slim the chances are that Luna survived. She was found in the Night Fire. She may well be fake. Please place her under a strong guard."

Stella ended her little voice transporting spell, and turned back to her new found friends. "Girls, we must continue. Proceed with caution." The three ponies nodded. Suddenly, a flash of blood red light blinded them all, and hateful laughter sounded high overhead.


End file.
